Why Do I Need an Urgent Suspected Cancer Referral (USC)?
Your doctor has referred you for a specialist opinion as your symptoms might be due to cancer.
All the information relevant to your symptoms will be included in the referral from your doctor or nurse sends. This may have included sending you for blood tests or a scan already. This information will be considered very carefully by a specialist – a process called “triage”.
The hospital team will contact you after your referral has been considered to discuss the next best steps to investigate your symptoms. This may mean arranging an investigation, seeing you in an appointment or talking to you on the telephone.
Careful consideration will be given to the decision for the best next steps for you by the hospital teams, both about your level of risk of having cancer as well as the need for speed of treatment. Some skin cancers, for example, need urgent treatment, while others can safely be left for several months.
Breast and Soft Tissue Sarcoma Referrals – you will receive a letter with your booking reference number and access code (password). If you have not received this letter from us within 5 working days – please contact the practice.
PLEASE REGISTER FOR THE NHS APP TO MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF YOUR REFERRAL – IF THE REFERRAL IS NOT SHOWING ON YOUR GP RECORD WITHIN 5 WORKING DAYS OF YOUR APPOINTMENT – PLEASE CONTACT THE PRACTICE
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO AND EASY READ OR TRANSLATION FOR THIS VITAL INFORMATION
You may want to ask these questions when you speak to the specialist
- Will I need any tests? lf I do, what tests will I need?
- Will I need to stay in hospital? Should someone come with me to the tests?
- When will I find out the results of the tests? Who will let me know the results?
- What will happen next?
We appreciate that this is a worrying time for you so if you have any concerns please do speak to your GP or Practice Nurse for support.